Can Caitlin Clark stay in NCAA basketball beyond 2023-24? Taking closer look at WNBA prospect's college eligibility

Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark is back for another season. She led the Hawkeyes to the national championship game but came up just short, losing to Angel Reese and LSU. Clark will be back to try and grab the title this season as a senior.

Clark will be eligible to enter the 2024 WNBA draft after this college season. She can also return for a fifth year at Iowa in NCAA basketball. Clark gained an extra year of eligibility after losing part of her 2019-20 season due to the COVID pandemic.

Clark was the Player of the Year last season and is the favorite to win the award again in the upcoming campaign. She has won everything but a national title and if she misses out on the championship this season, she may decide to come back again next year

Clark has not made a decision yet and told The Athletic the same:

“I’m going to go based off of my gut,” Clark said. “At the end of the day, that’s the biggest thing that I think I should trust. … I’m going to know when I need to know, if I want to stay or if I want to go.

"I’m focused on helping this team be the best team they can be, and when I know that decision, all of you will know."

Clark is the projected number-one overall pick if she enters the 2024 WNBA draft.

Caitlin Clark's NIL money and WNBA salary projections

Caitlin Clark would likely be the number one pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, even though Angel Reese is also eligible to enter.

Clark would make a base salary of $74,305 as a top-four pick in her rookie season in the WNBA. Her salary would bump up to $75,792 in her second year and she would also be eligible for incentive-based bonuses.

Caitlin Clark makes significantly more now in college as a social media star and in NIL money. She makes money through her social accounts, including Instagram, on which she has more than 700K followers.

According to Huddle Up, Clark makes around $1 million per year in NIL money and off-court endorsements. She has deals with Nike, Buick, Bose, Goldman Sachs, Topps and Hy-Vee. She is one of the highest-paid college athletes regardless of sport through NIL money.

The WNBA salary would likely be less tantalizing due to her current NIL money. Caitlin Clark may be able to get more endorsements away from college, but she is arguably a bigger star and on a bigger platform while in college at Iowa.